Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Style Statement Principle

As defined, the Style Statement are just two words, but two "profoundly magical words"
that will reveal your TRUE personal style. As the book / blog defines
it: "Your Style Statement helps you make choices that accurately
reflect and support the real You. When applied, it becomes a lifelong
mantra, allowing you to make authentic choices that make you feel
powerful and joyful. Your Style Statement is where your essence meets your expression."

The first word of your Style Statement is your foundation word. As defined in the book, "This is the core of who you are, your essential self. This is the part that feels like first nature, even if you resist it. It is the part of you that is often most obvious....It shows up in what you most strongly believe, in what you most often choose, and in the most frequent themes of your [taste and style]."

The second word of your Style Statement is your creative edge word.

If the foundation word represents your essence, your creative edge word is how you express your essence. To make it more tangible, the creative edge is your life's accessories. In communication and relationship, the creative word is the impression you make.

Aside from answering the in-depth questions in the book, I also asked the opinion of my bestest friends about how they see me (since, most often than not, the people closest to us know us better than we know our own selves).

After much analysis and reflection (which spanned several days), I finally arrived with my two magic words -- the words that best describe me, my essence and my expression...

BOLD SIMPLIFIED

As defined in the book:

BOLD

SPIRIT:Bold has a strong warrior spirit that can translate into risk-taking, maverick ideas, and lively adventures. Go big or go home. Do it right, or don't do it at all. That's Bold. Bold will automatically question established rules and set out to challenge whatever they perceive as unjust or sub-quality. They inquire: they look beneath the surface; they like to know the facts; they are wired to make an impact in whatever they do. They can be incredibly imaginative, and critical thinkers, and it's their ability to get out of the box that makes them great trend spotters and assessors of what's happening. Bold gravitates to people who can effect change, and can always identify a winning formula or the overachiever in the room. In overdrive, Bold can be aggressive or imperceptive, which might lead to isolation -- a less-than-ideal circumstance, because Bold prefers to be surrounded by people. They are quite comfortable with uncertainty because they know that they can draw on their own daring and multiple resources to fully embrace any situation. They are almost always sure that they've made the right choice. They focus forward. They take charge and persevere. Bold is sure to be noticed.

SIMPLIFIED

SPIRIT:Simply is authentic and unpretentious. No-nonsense and never one for airs or embellishment. They are typically humble and modest. What you see is what you get. Simply loathes excessiveness, waste and clutter -- both materially and psychologically. Deception and personal politics irritate them on the deepest level. What's unnecessary is disheartening. Simply is a direct communicator. They express themselves clearly and candidly. They love to find out the story behind the story, get their point across, and be heard, and they won't back down from an argument. In fact, they can be incredibly persistent and stubborn, to the point of becoming entrenched. For better or for worse, they're great at cutting corners. Simply loves to find the most logical or ideal solutions -- utility and purposefulness are at the top of their list. They are remarkably durable and hearty spirits. Simply has a keen way of knowing what's most important or essential in every dimension and deeply relishes the basic necessities and pleasures of life.

LOOK AND FEEL:Clean, pared down, balanced. Basic, organic. Fundamental. Austere, plain. Open spaces. Well-organized. Tidy. Can range from ultra modern and stark to sheer elegance. Never ostentatious or showy.

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The outfit looks something like this.

I could go on and on and on how my personality fits my Style Statement of Bold Simplified, sharing with you a thousand and one anecdotes from long ago. But, I will not bore you with the gory details of my youth and youthful days. Some of these are also deeply personal stories, which I prefer not to be aired out in the very much public sphere of the internet and blogging.

Since we are using the Style Statement in terms of pinning down one's fashion sensibilities (and, later on, tangible aspects of living with elan), let me share with you an example of how a daily outfit of mine illustrates my Style Statement.

The General Manager in my old office complimented me on one of my work outfits. It was comprised of basics -- a white round neck shirt, beige trousers, a black blazer, and black high heels. To top if all off, I put attention-grabbing accessories - a black multi-layered bead necklace and a cocktail ring with a Mona Lisa print.